10 Triggers to Avoid this Christmas SeasonChristmas season is upon us. There’s so much fun to have this time of year. You don’t want something unexpected - like...reactionscomments
5 Ways People Cope With Severe COPDSo, I am a respiratory therapist. I work with lots of COPDers. Some have severe COPD. And some come visit me more...reactions12comments
Spring Has SprungThe past few mornings I was greeted with sunshine and the sounds of birds chirping. Temps in the 60s and 70s and...reactionscomments
It Couldn’t Happen To MeIn my EMT class some years back, when we were learning to take patient evaluations and then the reports, sob kept coming...reactionscomments
Ready, Set, GoEvery day has been a race to get functional again. My mom passed away January 16, 2018 from cancer, another close relative...reactions1comment
Five Tips after a COPD DiagnosisA COPD Diagnosis: Now What? Cough. Cough. “I don't know why I'm so tired and I can't breathe. Maybe it'll blow over”...reactions5comments
Our Bodies Beyond COPDWhen I think of COPD, I also think of the whole body. COPD, and the medications for it, can often affect the...reactionscomments
My Letter To Those Who Are Really Sick - Part 2As I mentioned in Part 1, no, I’m not being silly regarding the title. Many would say having COPD means that they...reactionscomments
A Pithy History Of COPD?Shortness of breath was noted in ancient documents. In the year 2,697, it was described by Nei Ching Su Wen in his...reactionscomments
My Letter To Those Who Are SickNo I’m not being silly. Many would say having COPD means that they are sick. Others think of COPD as having a...reactionscomments
A Very Merry Christmas in the Slow Lane Part IIChristmas is here/Bringing good cheer/To young and old/Meek and the bold/Ding dong ding dong/That is their song/With joyful ring/All caroling. – “Carol...reactionscomments
A Happy Yuletide: Celebrating the Returning SunThere seems to be a theme running through most of the autumn and winter holidays – both religious and secular – that we...reactionscomments
Overcoming Loneliness and IsolationWhen I was first diagnosed with COPD there was no internet. Help groups, and good information was non-existent. Information was not given...reactions4comments
‘Tis the Season to Be Jolly fa la la la la…Person "M" turns the TV off, as a tear runs down her cheek. She knows this time of the year, with all...reactionscomments
Planning for the Holidays ~ Doing It AgainMy daughter and I were talking the other night and she said “I know what you can write about! Christmas! Gifts you...reactionscomments
Maintaining Friendships With COPDMaintaining friendships with COPD, sounds easy, right? COPDers will often say no. Thinking back to being sick, before diagnosed with COPD, we...reactions3comments
What NOT to Say to Chronically Ill People.Sometimes us with COPD find it hard getting others to recognize we have a disabling, chronic illness. A recent photo of myself taken...reactions3comments
What Can Giving Back Give You?Giving can seem like a one-way street. We let go of something that belongs to us - often my money or clothing...reactionscomments
Planning and Preparing: A Social Life with COPDIn my last article, “Having A Social Life With COPD”, the focus was on things that can affect us, such as scented...reactions2comments
Medication TimeIf you have COPD, like me, you probably have medications to take. As your COPD progresses, so does the amount of medications...reactionscomments
